Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says the state will not observe Cesar Chavez Day on March 31, a move that he hopes to make permanent by working with the Legislature and removing the holiday from state law in the 2027 session.
The announcement came after a New York Times investigation revealed allegations that the late Mexican-American labor and civil rights leader had sexually assaulted and abused women and girls. The reporting has sparked widespread outrage and sorrow, prompting lawmakers and labor groups across the country — including in Texas, where he supported striking farm workers and led a rally at the state Capitol following a march from Rio Grande City to Austin in 1966 — to reckon with Chavez’s legacy.
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“Reports of the horrific and widely acknowledged sexual assault allegations against Cesar Chavez rightfully dismantle the myth of this progressive hero and undermine the narrative that elevated Chavez as a figure worthy of official state celebration,” Abbott said in a post on X.
The Mexican American Legislative Caucus, which called the allegations “deeply disturbing,” said it is ready to lead efforts to remove the Cesar Chavez holiday.
“When a leader puts himself ahead of the people and the movement he was meant to serve, that is a profound betrayal of the very values that movement was built on,” the statement said. “We stand with survivors and support a full and transparent reckoning.”
At the same time, MALC called for the holiday to be replaced with one that honors labor leaders like Dolores Huerta, who co-founded the United Farm Workers with Chavez. Others have also rallied around uplifting Huerta.
Huerta told the Times and subsequently in a public statement that Chavez, who died in 1993, had sexually assaulted her in two incidents that led to pregnancies. The labor and women’s rights icon said she had kept them a secret for 60 years for fear of hurting the farmworker movement that she has devoted her life to.
“The farmworker movement has always been bigger and far more important than any one individual,” Huerta added in her statement. “Cesar’s actions do not diminish the permanent improvements achieved for farmworkers with the help of thousands of people. We must continue to engage and support our community, which needs advocacy and activism now more than ever.”
The allegations have also prompted Texas cities and groups to cancel or update events and celebrations. For instance, El Paso will observe March 31 as Community & Labor Heritage Day, while city councilmembers in San Antonio, Austin and Dallas want to rename streets that were dedicated to him or stop recognizing Cesar Chavez Day. Houston’s annual march honoring him has also been canceled.
The day before the Times published its investigation, United Farm Workers distanced itself from its co-founder.
“We have not received any direct reports, and we do not have any firsthand knowledge of these allegations. However, the allegations are serious enough that we feel compelled to take urgent steps to learn more and provide space for people who may have been victimized to find support and to share their stories if that is what they choose,” the group said in a statement.
“The United Farm Workers will not be taking part in any Cesar Chavez Day activities.”
Disclosure: New York Times has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.